


Born Home on Bluebird's Wings

by Hyperactivefangirl29



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No One Ring, Animal Transformation, Baggins sibling, F/M, Female Bilbo, Female Ori, Magic Hobbit(s), hobbits are not half of anything thank you very much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 20:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5389802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyperactivefangirl29/pseuds/Hyperactivefangirl29
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hobbits are secretive and mysterious creatures. Known to few outside the Shire and mostly entirely respectable. However, as in every race, there is one family who doesn't follow the rules. So when a willful and reputation-stained lass of the name 'Belladonna Took' marries a proper and respectable lad by the name of 'Bungo Baggins', the Shire knows their children will be something new and possibly unrespectable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of Hobbits and their secrets.

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Heart's Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2257239) by [obilupin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/obilupin/pseuds/obilupin). 



Many peoples of this Earth do not believe Hobbits exist; believing the tales of little people in the West are myths or merely young dwarves who are yet to grow beards. However, there are those who know of Hobbits, but these people believe that they are a relation of men, being so alike in structure and appearance. Others believe that Hobbits stem from a long-ago union of Elves and Dwarves, with pointed ears, short stance and a love all thing that grow and food. Neither of these beliefs are true, but if you asked a Hobbit (make sure to ask a Bree Hobbit) they would not deny or confirm these rumors, for Hobbits; like Elves and Dwarrow folk; keep their secrets close. For Hobbits are their own race, created by Yavanna, the wife of Mahal; the creator of the Dwarrow. But this is but their smallest secret and this is not why they despise outsiders and all those who leave the Shire, for Yavanna didn't leave her children undefended. 

While her husband gave his children strong and sturdy bodies and bones and an ability to craft wonders objects with their hands; Yavanna created her children to be creatures of the hearth and home with strong and pliable bones protected by soft flesh, kind souls and the talent to change. Yavanna's greatest gifts to her children where those of fertility; the love of family and their animal forms.  

All Hobbits, at birth are given an animal form; complimentary to their personality and an indication of their future. Vary rarely is a hobbits birth-form violent,large or anything but a small mammal. However, Hobbits have two forms, one given at birth and one given by the Valar on the day of their coming of age. Meant to reflect their hopes and experiences, a given-form is larger and less playful than a birth-form, but still rarely aggressive or fearsome. 

The only family exempt from these expectations is the Took family: taking the forms of birds, intent of exploration; large dogs, intent on protection or small ponies, intent on freedom. One sure Took was the first born daughter and ninth child of Gerotius Took; the Thin of the Shire, Belladonna Took. At birth, Belladonna was given the form of a white dove and at her coming of age she surprised the party guests (invited and not) by turning into a large chocolate colored dog, as tall as her father's shoulder.

But this tale is not of Belladonna, this tale is of her daughter and how she; despite being almost completely respectable; was bullied out of the Shire by a Wizard and thirteen dwarves. This tale is of how Belladonna's daughter stole her mother's title of 'Greatest scandal of the Shire'. 

* * *

Bungo Baggins paced up and down his long dining room, waiting and trying to block-out the varying screams, screeches and barks coming from the room he shared with his wife. His wife who'd been in labor for the past twelve and a half hours. A baby's cry tore through the smial. Belladonna had stopped screaming. "Mr Baggins?" Bungo spun to face the midwife. "You can see them now." She smiled tiredly and the new father who nodded his thanks and hurried to his wife. 

He had a daughter.

Small and beautiful she was, with Bella's honey curls and his deep brown eyes. His weary wife smiled at him and offered the babe to him. Perching on the edge of the bed next to Bella, he took the tiny bundle wrapped safely in a soft yellow blanket. "She's perfect." He breathed as the child blinked up at him. "Yes. She is," Bella agreed. "Our perfect creation, Billanna Baggins."

* * *

 

Billanna was three months old when she first changed. Bungo and Belladonna where awoken, late at night; not by a cry baby, but a screaming bluebird. Bungo had panicked, running around the kitchen with his bird-daughter cradled in his hands. Once Bella had stopped laughing, she took pity on him and changed into he own bird form, which calmed the chick down long enough for Bungo to run outside and dig up some worms. Much to Billanna the bluebird's delight. By the next afternoon, the whole Shire knew of the newest bird-changer. Needless to say, her mother's family where ecstatic. Her father's, less so. Despite what the Baggins' where saying, Billanna's form didn't make her parents love her any less than they already did. 

Just as her bluebird and her Baggins family predicted, as soon as she learnt to walk, Billanna (Or Bill as she insisted she be called) was out the door of Bag End and running. She ran in hopes of finding faeries and elves in the woods, trolls and goblins in the caves, Kings and Queens over the hills. She would be home late, mud across her freckled cheeks, skinned elbows and knees trailing feathers, leaves and sloppy mud across her father's clean hallways. 

When she turned eight, Belladonna took her on her first 'adventure', all the way to Bree. While they didn't meet any elves, the did run into dwarves. Slightly taller than hobbits, fiercely loyal and born to fight, the dwarves they met; despite being a miner, a toy-maker and a cook; where the stories Bella had told her daughter, personified. Nearly the whole week, Billanna followed the cheerful dwarves around, undeterred by the axe blade in the forehead of the toy maker who when by the name of Bifur. When the week long visit was up, Billanna didn't want to go, clutching at Bofur's leg with tears pouring down her cheeks. With a gentle murmuring in secret dwarven language, Bifur presented her with a beautifully carved wooden sword, similar in size and shape to her mother's real sword. So, despite Bungo's worrying, when they returned to the Shire, Billanna's weapons training began, supported and helped by her Took relatives. 

* * *

 Billanna had been staying in the Great Smials for a few weeks, throwing herself into her adventure training. She only was there because her Ma was going to have a baby, Bill didn't really know how Ma was going to have a baby, or why she'd want one anyway. She knew it involved getting very fat, and that it was painful but she hadn't had the 'seed and pot' lesson that her older cousins giggled about sometimes, apparently she wasn't old enough. Bill swung her little wooden blade at Uncle Hildigrim with a grunt of anger. Why did her parents _want_ another child? Wasn't she enough? Had she done something wrong? Wasn't she good enough? Had her Baggins' relatives finally convinced her Pa that she was too wild and that she was too much of a Took? Where her parents going to send for her? Or send her away? 

The blade clattered on the flagstones of the inner courtyard as her uncle disarmed her and Bill flopped to the ground, tears forming. "Are you alright Bill?" Her uncle was at her side instantly, creaking her for bruises. "Why Uncle Grim?" Tears seeped from the nine year-old fauntling's large eyes. "Why aren't I enough?" She sobbed, burring her face in her uncle's shirt. "Aren't enough for who, Bill?" 

"Ma and Pa! Why else would they have another faunt?!" 

"Oh Bill," Her uncle said softly, stroking her hair. "Bill, look at me. Your Ma and Pa love you very much, and that won't change because of a new baby. They want to give you someone to play with, someone closer than a cousin. So they made a baby, and now, that baby's ready to come into this world, it won't be long before you'll be playing with your new brother or sister. But don't think for one moment, that just because there's another person in your family, that your parents will love you less than they already do, okay?" Hildigrim smiled at the girl who nodded and whipped her tears away before picking up her sword again. 

Billanna was home a few days later, prepared to defend her baby sibling for the rest of her life. 

* * *

 

Buttercup was a rabbit, content to stay at home and help their father around the house, but Billanna never could sit still for long. She pestered passing rangers into teaching her more about weapons and traveling than her Took relatives ever could and she took regular trips to Bree and beyond. Despite their differences, Bill and Butter where as close as two siblings could get: it wasn't unusual to see their two animal forms playing together gleefully, in the fields at the back of their home; their patches of garden given to them by their parents flourished together, each different but complementary. They had twelve years of absolute bliss and peace, before the Fell Winter hit the Shire. Before everything changed. 

* * *

Belladonna was cut down, detracting the goblins as Bill rescued a group of faunts. 

Bungo fell ill, devastated over the loss of his wife.

Buttercup was taken, leaving behind nothing but a hair ribbon, when she sneaked out one night for medicine.

The Horn of Buckland was sounded.

Rangers came, too late for many, and drove the goblins back over the Brandywine river. By the time the snows had melted, a ranger post had been set up to protect the Shire from any other outside threats and Gandalf was kept busy in the Great Smials healing the sick and injured. Bungo recovered from his sickness, and managed to patch his heart together for several more years. The Shire recovered, naming the first week of spring 'The festival of mourning' and turning a whole field into a graveyard for all those lost or killed in the Fell Winter. Bill however, didn't. She couldn't get the sight of blood on snow out of her head; the screams of so many hobbits; to sneering faces of the goblins who killed adults and stole children. So she put herself away, became Billanna and put Bill in a heavily locked chest; never to be brought out for many years.

 


	2. Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A will is read, Gandalf visits and the dwarves arrive. Also, Billanna gets angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!! Assault mentioned!

Billanna's neatly folded hands clenched in her lap, her knuckles white. Her Grandfather; Gerontius Took, the Thain; now had control over her home, her father's lands and all the money her father had left behind. She'd expected that part, females weren't allowed to inherent after the passing of their male guardian. But, why had her father, her dear Pa, told her to marry within a year of his passing? He knew she wanted what he and Ma had found in each other, true love, companionship and friendship, and Billanna felt none of those things for the hobbit sitting across from her. Theodore Chubb grinned at her, a strange glint in his eye as the words 'must marry a suitable hobbit, chosen by her Grandfather, within six months of my passing' where read out. She could feel her given-form begging to be unleashed and express her raging anger, clenching her hands tighter in an effort to keep her anger down, Billanna said calmly. "I suppose Theodore is the hobbit you have chosen for me to marry Grandfather."

"Yes Flower, he is. You have time to find another you may wish to marry, but if you can't find anyone than I expect you to marry Theodore six months from now." Her grandfather smiled brightly at her.

"May I be excused Grandfather? I doubt there'll be anything else relevant to my welfare in Father's will. I wish to go home and think over what I am to do." Billanna said politely, her hands and heart aching. Her grandfather looked at her with concern but nodded. "Thank you, Grandfather. Good day Theodore." Her skirts whispered as she stood and left the study.

One of her aunts took her arm and guided her back to the room she'd been staying in for the past few days. "Your pony will be saddled soon." The aunt said, when Billanna didn't respond the aunt left. Billanna didn't make a sound as she changed from her dress into her riding clothes, for she knew that if she opened her mouth she would cry, and never stop. The dress was folded neatly into a saddle bag alongside flint, wood and enough traveling food for the journey. Her pony, Buttercup, was a pale golden colour with a coca coloured mane and tail, the dark leather saddle contrasted savagely with the soft tones of the animal as it always had. The pony nickered around her carrot as Billanna approached, at least one of them was happy.

* * *

 

There was a knock on the door Billanna rubbed the tears from her eyes and hurried to open it. A man stood on the doorstep, and not a hobbit man either. No, a man from the race of Men, in a grey robe and a tall grey hat. "Gandalf." Billanna smiled wearily and stepped aside. "Come in. Come in. Would you like some tea?" The wizard smiled at her, ducking his head to avoid the rafters.

"Tea would be lovely my dear Billanna." He said, trailing behind her into the sitting room and settling into his special chair. "How have you been my dear?"

"I've been better Gandalf." She called from the kitchen, the kettle whistling over the fireplace. Billanna brought the tray of tea and muffins over to the wizard before continuing to speak. "I received some troubling news not two days ago about what is to become of me now that Pa's gone." Billanna said mournfully, sipping her tea. "I'm at a loss Gandalf. I've been instructed to marry Theodore Chubb six months from now unless I find someone else to marry. I don't particularly want to marry anyone at this moment in time, but there's no other way to keep Bag End. Nor do I like Theodore." She sighed setting down her teacup.

"I may have the solution to your dilemma my dear." Gandalf smiled presently, Billanna looked up at him with interest. "A group of thirteen dwarves I am guiding, are looking for the final member of their company. Someone light on their feet, light fingered and hard to spot, someone much like yourself."

Billanna's eyes had lit up at the mention of dwarves, still she looked a little skeptical. "Where are you guiding them to?"

"Erebor. They are looking to reclaim their homeland and I have invited them to supper regardless of what you decide to do. They'll be here in three days and I'll expect they'll need to stay the night."

Billanna looked ready to protest against the notion of strangers in her home, but sighed, shoulders sagging. She was used to Gandalf's antics and meddling ways. "All right, I'll host them for dinner and our them up for the night. But I can't promise I'll be joining them in the morning, after all who would look after my home? And someone will have to restock the larder and pantry for winter."

"My dear Billanna, your parents memories live on in you, not your home."

"It's not just them." Billanna's gaze shifted to the smiling portrait of her sister above the fireplace, between her mother and father.

"Your sister would have wanted you to go." Gandalf said, setting down his now empty cup and moving toward the door. "She would have wanted you to follow your heart, which is not leading you to Theodore Chubb and a life of compliance." Gandalf collected his hat and staff from the cloakroom before slipping his feet back into his boots.

"Don't you dare tell me what my little sister would have wanted for me." Billanna hissed, glaring at Gandalf, opening the door.  "And don't you dare tell me where my heart is. I will host these dwarrow and send them on their way. I hope you have a good day Gandalf." The door shut sharply.

* * *

 

Luckily, the next day was market day and if she was going to be hosting thirteen dwarves, a wizard and feeding herself, Billanna would need more meat. She brought the largest pig the butcher had, along with several rabbits and a venison breast. The dairy vendor looked at her strangely when she ordered four dozen eggs, twelve pints of milk and a whole block of butter. It was the miller's boys who offered to help her carry her purchases along with the twenty kilos of flour she'd brought from their mother.

Billanna led the little procession up the hill to Bag end, seemingly oblivious to the whispers that followed her from the market. The next day was taken up by extensive cleaning, tidying, preparing the rooms and packing, even though she hasn't quite made up her mind on if she was going or not. All the same 'better to be prepared for the changing of the winds' as her mother used to say. The day that dwarves where due to arrive was mainly taken up by cooking. The pig was skewered and mounted over the outside fire pit for a slow roast in the morning and the accompanying potatoes where boiled and roasted by elevenis. The rest of the meat was cooked in many different ways, from boiling to pies, but for Billanna the most important part of the cooking came after lunch, in the form of puddings. From the traditional berry pie to the Took secret of cherry and orange zest cake, Billanna baked until dinner completely forgoing afternoon tea. It was nearly seven when the last cake was taken from the oven and, after one last check on the pork, Billanna took her bath.

Billanna stood in front of her bedroom mirror, golden curls bouncing and bound in bright blue ribbons, her nails scrubbed and shining, free of pastry and grease. She smoothed her blue skirt, the hem embroidered with violets, the blue complimented the yellow bodice over her white blouse and decorated with ivy. The final touch was one of her own bright blue feathers braided neatly into her hair, the braid free from the ribbons and was neatly fastened with the bead marking her as a member of the dwarven family Ur. Knocking rang through her home, they were here.

* * *

 

Theodore had given her almost a week to think, which was far longer than he should have given her, he shouldn't have given her more than a minute but him, being the kind and understanding hobbit he was, had given her nearly a week. She better thank him on her knees for this, after giving him what he wanted from her of course. He opened the gate of Bag End, not bothering to close it after him (after all why should he? It would soon be Billanna's job to follow behind him and clean his masses) he knocked on the door. There wasn't a sound from inside, Billanna was far to quiet to make noise when she moved, Theodore hoped that quietness was present in other aspects of his future wife, after all. He was drawn from his thoughts as the door swung open, Billanna's bright smile faded when she saw him. "Theodore what are you-"

"I heard you had a gentleman caller yesterday. One of the big folk." He interrupted her, not even acknowledging her words. "I will not stand for this Billanna!" He said sharply, stepping closer. "I will not allow you to have unusual visitors or speak to males who aren't myself or family! I have put up with your wild behavior for long enough Billanna and it stops. Now." He took another step forward over the doorstep, Billanna stepped back but Theodore grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, a dark look in his eyes. "We are to be married Billanna, and you will obey me."

"To be married? Theodore, that hasn't been decided yet and-"

"No, I have given you long enough! Too long! In fact. So I have made a decision for you." He captivated her other wrist and rammed his lips on to hers. Billanna's back slammed into her hallway wall, hard enough to bruise. With one hand, Theodore tightly caged her hands over her head, the other explored. Down her bodice, along the curve of her hips and behind. Billanna couldn't breath, couldn't move, her forms locked inside a cage of fear. She was frozen.

* * *

 

Dwalin trudged along the little winding paths of the Shire, following Gandalf's vague directions. There! The thief rune glowed on a green door. A semi-open green door, the garden gate was also open. Frowning, the dwarf made his way up the path.

"HELP"

Dwalin's legs made short work of the path and he burst into the home. The scene that created him would have been intimate and publicly indecent, had it not been for the struggling lass, trying desperately to break free and reach the hilt of a wooden sword protruding from the nearby umbrella stand. The male hobbit squeaked like a rat as Dwalin's hand curled around the scruff of his neck and tore him away from the lass, who sank to the ground in tears. His toes didn't even brush the ground as Dwalin turned the hobbit to face him. The hobbit began to shake. "What do ye think ye'r doin'?" He asked gruffly, there was a growing wet patch on the hobbit's breaches. "The little lass donna want ye. I'm lookin' fer Bill Baggins. Ye him?" The hobbit shook his head vigorously. "Good." Dwalin threw the hobbit over his shoulder and turned to the lass. "Have any rope lass?"

"Uh." The lass stood shakily and dabbed at her tears daintily with an equally dainty handkerchief. "That, that won't be necessary, thank you Master Dwarf. But I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble."

"No trouble lass."

"Master Dwarf, please. I can't have a guest exiled for my sake, it would be terrible manners."

Dwalin looked at the lass, who still had tears running down her cheeks. She looked a sorry sight, disheveled hair, unlaced bodice and quickly developing bruises. But she looked determined that he wouldn't get into trouble. Dwalin sighed in defeat. "All righ'" He agreed reluctantly. "I'll just take 'im out then." Dwalin turned on his heel and made his way back down the garden path.

Balin hadn't seen his brother in a while, but he wasn't expecting to see him quite like this, pissed off and actively throwing a chubby, beardless hobbit in a pair of wet beeches over a garden gate and down the road. The hobbit landed at Balin's feet. He looked up, squeaked, pissed himself again and scuttled off. "Brother!" Dwalin's booming voice drew Balin's attention back to the situation. After the customary head bump, Dwalin drew him up the garden path and through the round doorway.

A hobbit lass stood in the hall, trying to fix her messed curls. Her lips and wrists where blooming with bruises, her skirts creased, the bow holding her bodice together slightly wonky. "Lass? Ye all righ'?" Dwalin's voice was surprisingly gentle, the hobbit lass turned and gave then a weak smile. "I'm, all right. Thank you Master Dwarf."

"Dwalin, lass. At yer service." Dwalin bowed.

"Billanna Baggins, at yours." The hobbit lass curtsied gracefully, despite her resent experience.

"Balin at your service Mistress Baggins." Balin followed his brother's example and introduced himself, Billanna curtsied again.

"We'll be eating in the garden tonight, there simply isn't enough room for-" She was interrupted but a knock at the door which she hurried to answer.

* * *

 

"Fili."  
"And Kili."  
"At your service." The two dwarves bowed together, cheerful smiles on their faces. "You must be Mr Boggins." The dark haired one, Kili, grinned.

"Billanna Baggins at you service." Billanna curtsied, desperately trying to stop the blood from rushing her her cheeks. She hadn't known that dwarrow could be so, well, handsome. As she straightened up, the pair caught her blush and beamed, through a look of concern glimmered in the blond's emerald eyes. Billanna gave him a small smile and stood to the side, letting the four dwarrow greet each other.

"As I was saying to your companions before you arrived, we'll be eating in the garden tonight, there simply isn't enough room in the dinning room for all of us plus supper. And if you would be so kind as to wipe your feet and leave your weapons at the door, or at least the larger ones, I'd be most grateful. I'll show you to your rooms, while we wait for the rest of the party to arrive, if it's alright with you, I'd rather not be running back and forth from the garden." Billanna explained to the dwarves, as she once again tried to make herself look presentable. She had to stop Kili from scraping his boots on Ma's glory box, but other that that the dwarves where perfect guests. There wasn't quite enough room for all the dwarves to have a room each, so she'd decided to split them into pairs and threes, which so far was working out nicely as the four that had already arrived where two sets of brothers. Billanna was just showing her guests the bathroom when there was another knock at the front door, after excusing herself she hurried to answer it. She squeaked lightly as eight dwarves fell onto into her hallway, Gandalf stood behind them, a small smile on his face. The smile faded when he saw her. Stepping around the dwarrow, her knelt in front of her, eyes taking in her injuries and rumpled clothes.

"My dear Billanna, what happened?"

"Theodore Chubb." She answered shortly.

"I'll kill 'im." A familiar voice growled. Bofor's usually kind eyes where dark under the rim of his hat, his jovial smile gone.

"Bofur, don't-"

"Nay lass." Bombur said. "Ye'r part of our family." Bifur nodded and grunted in agreement.

"Brothers please, I don't want you to get into any trouble and besides Master Dwalin took care of him." Billanna turned and smiled at the bald dwarf, who sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Was nothin' lass."

"It could have been much worse Bofur. I'm fine, truly." She hopped her smile was convincing, judging by the look on her brother's faces, it wasn't but they didn't push it. "Now, why don't you introduce me the the rest of my guests and we can start eating." Billanna's suggestion was met with a cheer from the dwarves and a silver haired dwarf forward, his an elaborate pattern of braids shining in the torchlight.  

"Dori, at you service." He bowed and dragged a dark haired dwarf to his side, who's hair, even his eyebrows, was fix into a six point star. "This is-"

"Oi! I can introduce meself." He shook Dori's hand off his and bowed. "Nori, at yer service lass. Dori's me brother." Nori said as Dori pulled forward another dwarf, who hair was bright auburn and cut like a bowl. 

"Our sister, Ori." Dori said, the girl bowed and smiled softly at Billanna. "At your service ma'am." Her voice was as soft and gentle as her smile. 

Another red haired dwarf stepped forward, his beard nearly as large as Bombur's. "Gloin, at your service, and this is my brother." He gestured to the grey haired dwarf, who held an ear trumpet to his ear. "Oin. His hearing is going." 

"Pleasure to meet you all. Billanna Baggins at your service." Billanna curtsied to the families. "Your all welcome in my home. Now, if you'll please wipe your boots and leave your larger weapons at the door, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping and then to supper." 

Reluctantly, the dwarrows filled her umbrella stand with axes and swords and reduced her doormat to muddied rag. But, they all seemed pleased with the sleeping arrangements. While Billanna was leading the dwarves around her home, Gandalf pulled Dwalin and Balin aside, he knew they'd arrived first and where the most likely to know the cause of her bedraggled state. The brothers shared a glance before Dwalin began recounting the event he'd walked in on. A dark look grew in Gandalf's eyes.

"We have no choice then." He sighed, once the tale ended with the arrival of Fili and Kili. "We'll have to take Miss Baggins with us." 

"What do you mean by that Gandalf?" Balin asked curiously. 

"Well, my dear Balin. Hobbit society revolves, mostly around family and respectability, which is why it is very unusual for hobbits to venture beyond the border of the Shire, or to be violent. However, I'm glad you arrived in time Dwalin, who knows how far Theodore would have gone." 

"Is there no one she can talk to about this? Family or a close female friend?" Balin inquired, Gandalf hummed in thought but shook his head. 

"No, I'm afraid that anyone she told would report it to her Grandfather, who would make her marry Theodore to save her reputation and keep up the image of their family. It's best she not stay here." 

"Hobbits punish the victim, not the filth who tried to claim her?" Dwalin growled, Gandalf nodded sorrowfully. 

"I'm afraid so, especially as she has only recently come of age and is living alone." 

"She may be in more danger travelling with us, Gandalf, there'll be no guarantee of her safety on the road. Even with her brothers at her side." Balin pointed out. 

"Aye, the wilds are no place for gentlefolk who can nether fight nor fend for themselves, 'specially a gentle lass like her." Dwalin said gruffly, agreeing with his brother.

"I wouldn't underestimate our host, if I where you Master Dwalin, there's more to her than meets the eye." 

"Tell that to Thorin." Balin said as Billanna rounded the corner. 

"Gandalf, you told me there would be thirteen dwarves, only twelve have arrived. Should we wait?" 

It was Dwalin who answered the hobbit. "Nay lass, he's late is all. He traveled north to a meeting of our kin. He wouldn't wanna keep us from a good meal." 

"Right, I best wrestle a couple of pies away from Bombur then."  

"Aye lass, Bombur does love his food, I'm surprised if they'll be anything left by the time he's done." 

* * *

 

Luckily, Billlanna had made enough food for everyone, even Bombur was full by the end of the loud, raucous feast. There was only one incident when the hobbit host nearly killed the dwarves, when her mothers prized pottery went flying over her head. Night had truly fallen when Billanna ushered her guests back inside for desert. As the dishes where passed round again and Billanna enlisted the help of her brothers to help carry the sweets, there came a booming knock on the door, everyone fell quiet. 

"He's here." Gandalf said, the party moved from the dinning room to the front hall. The door swung open.

"Gandalf." A deep voice belonging to the thirteenth dwarf sounded from the door, hidden by Gandalf. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all, if not for the mark on the door." Billanna squeezed around Gandalf, a scowl on her face. 

"Mark? That door was painted last week, I'll have you know." Billanna was fuming, Gandalf laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"There is a mark, my dear, I put it there myself." Billanna glared at the wizard and opened her mouth to scold him, but he interrupted her. "Billanna Baggins, may I introduce the leader of this company, Thorin Okenshield." The new dwarf looked her up and down circling her, eyes pausing on her bruises and her family bead. "So, this is the hobbit." A smirk in his voice. "Tell me, MissBaggins, have you done much fighting? What's your favored weapon, axe or sword?" 

"I've had my fair share of battles Master Okenshield, and I have some skill at conkers, if you must know." She glared at him, her brothers snickered. 

"I thought as much. She looks more like a barmaid than a bugler." SMACK! 

"How,  _dare_ you!" Billanna's fists were clenched, anger shaking her body. "How dare you come into my  _home_ and  _insult_ me! I have fed your company and agreed to let them sleep in my home for the night, despite the fact that I've never met most of them. I'm risking my reputation and setting myself up for public humiliation from my family just to do you and yours a kindness, where most hobbits would turn you away. And  _yet!_ You dare compare me to some lose-skirted Cotton from Bree! I have half a mind to throw you out that door and lock it!" She took a deep breath and sighed. "But, I am  _not_ a Cotton, I am a Baggins and a Took and I agreed that I would give you food and a bed, so that is what I will do. Because I was raised to respect my promises and my guests. Now, wipe your boots and leave your weapons at the door." And with that, the little hobbit turned and walked off, her skirts flouncing.

* * *

 

Billanna turned the corner and opened her fists, her claws slowly retracted, leaving deep gashes in her palms. "Bill?" She turned, hiding her hands in her skirts. "Are ye alrigh'?" 

"I'm fine, thank you Bofur." Billanna smiled at her brother. "I just, need a moment. Can you make sure Thorin gets his food and that the deserts are shared out?" 

"'Corse. Need me to get you anythin'?" 

"No, thank you Bofur." Billanna smiled softly at him. Bofur paused for a moment before drawing her into a tight hug. "It's gonna be alrigh'. Promise." He said quietly. "I'm 'ere if you need me." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I know." Billanna pulled away. "I'll be back in, in a moment."She promised, Bofur's eyes where filled with worry as he carefully neatened her hair but he nodded and turned away. He passed Ori in the hall who looked up as he passed.

"Is she alright?" The dwarrowdam asked worriedly. 

"She will be. In time." Bofur said, an idea forming in his mind. "Ori lass, would ye mind stayin' with her tonigh'? She'll likely have bad deams an' she'll need someone to talk to." 

"It would be my pleasure, thank you for trusting me with your sister." 

"I know yer a good sort Ori, now come. Billanna's strawberry tarts are not to be missed." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you spot any mistakes, please tell me. Kudo and comment.


	3. The adventure's start

Billanna entered her dining room in the middle of a conversation. "...the reign of the beast will end." 

"Beast? What beast?" She asked, everyone, bar Gandalf, jumped. Someone coughed and Bombur smiled at her as she slid into a seat. "That would be Smaug, the greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather."

"So, a dragon." 

"Think, furnace with wings." Bofur grinned across the table at her. 

" _Thank you_ Bofur." She said, praying for him to stop talking, luckily Ori saved her from anymore terrifying descriptions. "I'm not arfaid of him! I'll give him a taste of dwarvish iron right up his jacksy!" She said, leaping to her feet, brandishing a little slingshot. Dori, pulled her back to her seat as cheers went up from the company. They continued their odd way of motivating each other for awhile, Billanna looking on in interest, several arguments broke out. The first about Gandalf's prowess as a dragon slayer, the second about whether or not Billanna should come. It was Gandalf who ended the second. 

“ _Enough!_ If I say Billanna Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar she is!" He bellowed, standing as the lights dimmed in the room, several long moments passed before he sat again and the light returned. "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the scent of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage." At this, he turned to Thorin. "You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company and I have chosen Miss Baggins. There is a lot more to her than appearances suggest. And she's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including herself." He glanced at Billanna, then turned his attention to Thorin. “You must trust me on this” 

"Now hang on Gandalf." Billanna spoke up at this point. "I may have taken some crops that weren't strictly mine when I was younger, and maybe Grandmother didn't notice when I took the cookie jar from under her nose and there where possibly some Bree merchants cheating their customers that lost some stock. But, I am  _not_ a burglar!" She glared at Gandalf, before noticing the amused looks on the dwarrow faces. "What?" 

"Give her the contract." Thorin instructed Balin, a smile tugging on his lips. Balin drew a scroll from his pocket as the Dwarrow cheered. Billanna read the contract, eyes skirting over 'funeral arrangements' and 'incineration'. With a sigh she left the dinning room, contract in hand and returned a few moments later, her name still slightly wet at the bottom. Leaving the contract with Balin, Billanna left to prepare for bed, thoroughly exhausted. 

* * *

It wasn't until she'd finished her bath, tended to her injuries and was sitting at her dressing table brushing her hair, that Billanna realized it. It was the first time she'd been alone, properly alone, since Theodore's attack. She glanced down at the black bruises on her wrists and it all came rushing back. She could feel his hands, her chest tightened with panic, tears spilled down her cheeks. A hand landed on her shoulder. She leaped up, ready to fight and run. 

"Are you alright?" It was Ori, sweet, kind Ori with gentle smiles and ink-stained fingers and who smelled of books.

"I. I." Billanna broke, Ori's arms encircled her as she sobbed, wails shock her small frame as the pair sank to the floor and a gentle hand came to her hair, foreign words in her ear. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ori asked quietly, their embrace tight, Billanna shook her head into Ori's shoulder. "Not yet, perhaps when we've left, when it feels further away." She said quietly, her throat raw. "Alright. I'll listen, to what ever you want to say." 

"Ori, do you. Do you think we could be friends?" 

"Billanna, I think we could be." 

Billanna burrowed into Ori's shoulder and after several minutes, Ori realized she'd fallen asleep.

Ori was tucking the sheets around Billanna when the door opened, Bombur peered in. "Everything fine lass?" He asked, Ori nodded, her finger to her lips, gesturing to Billanna's sleeping form. "Dona worry lass, sleeps like a cold anvil that one does." Bombur slipped into the room quietly and moved to his sister's side. 

"Bofur asked me to say with her over night, if that's alright with you?" Ori said, keeping her voice low. Bombur nodded and smiled. 

"'m glad she's got ye lass." Bombur said, pressing a kiss to his sisters forehead. "Sleep well sister. Good nigh' Ori." The door shut quietly behind the wide dwarf, Ori straightened Billanna's sheets before going to find her brothers to tell them where she'd be sleeping. Ori returned after bathing and bidding good night to her brothers, her bag in hand. She was far to tiered to wonder why there was an extra bed in Billanna's bed, so after dressing down to her shift she climbed between the covers and fell into the best sleep she'd had in a long time. 

* * *

Fili awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon and eggs, his brother snoring softly in the bed next to him. He sat up and yawned loudly, arms stretching above his head with a groan of pleasure. Leaving his brother to sleep a little longer, the crown prince dressed quickly and softly closed the door behind him. He found Uncle Thorin, Dwalin and Balin in the sitting room, smoking and looking thoughtful. Suddenly, Billanna appeared at his elbow, her hair bound back in a tight under-braid, there was flour streaked across her freckles. Fili wondered what shade of pink her cheeks would go if he reached over a wiped it off, he wondered which shy smile he would receive from her.

"Breakfast's on the table." She said with a smile, pulling the prince from his thoughts, before soundlessly moving off to wake the rest of the company, Fili watched her go, her skirts bouncing as she walked. Ignoring the amused looks from his uncle, Dwalin and Balin, Fili followed his nose to the dinning room, where there was a whole spread of breakfast neatly set up. A high pitched yelp sounded from the hallway and a very pleased looking Billanna entered several moments later, a sopping Gloin trailing behind her, soon the whole company was seated around the long table and breakfast was well underway. 

"If you need to stock up on supplies." Billanna said to the company as she passed Gloin a plate of sausages. "Hobbiton market is very well stocked." 

"I'll make a list, see what we need to get." Balin said. "When does the market open?" 

"Second breakfast." Billanna said casually. The dwarrow, stopped, eyes fixed on the hobbit. She looked up and frowned. "What?" 

" _Second_ breakfast?" Fili said in a low voice. 

"Yes, second breakfast, you know. It falls between First breakfast and elevenses." Billanna smiled brightly.

"Just how many meals do you eat?" Dori inquired. 

"Seven." The dwarrow blanched. "First breakfast at 7, Second at 9, Elevenses at 11, Lunch at 1, Afternoon tea at 3, Dinner at 6 and Supper at 9." She beamed, her smile fell when she saw Thorin's scowl. 

"We can't be stopping that often for meals." He said sharply, Billanna stopped herself from rolling her eyes. 

"I know that, I don't really follow the Hobbit Meal times anyway." She shrugged. "There are simply better things to do in the day than cook." Giving the table another beaming smile, she returned her attention to her breakfast. Once the breakfast dishes where cleared away, the company split into separate groups. Billanna, Ori and Bofur went of to check Billanna had packed everything she needed for the journey ahead. Fili, Nori and Dori were sent off to find ponies for the long journey ahead, Gandalf hurried off to pen a letter to Billanna's Grandfather, suggesting that Dwalin do the same, an account of what he'd walked in on when he'd arrived. Everyone else went through their things to see if they needed to resupply and then settled down to sharpen their weapons. 

At nine, Billanna emerged, laughing with her brother and Ori, a bulging backpack on her back, a cloak fastened around her shoulders. She placed a letter on the mantelpiece, next to Gandalf's and Dwalin's before hurrying off to check everything was locked up. They waited another ten minutes before heading out. As they passed a hill-home with a bright yellow door, a hobbit in the front garden called out."Miss Anna!"

Billanna stopped at the gate, pulling a set of keys from her skirt pocket. "Hamfast." She smiled. "It's a lovely morning, isn't it?" 

"That it is Miss Anna." Hamfast smiled, eyes falling to her bruised wrists and bandaged hands. He leaned forward, hoping that dwarves couldn't hear as well as hobbits. "Are ye in trouble Miss?" 

"What? No. No, these weren't inflected by my traveling companions. Theodore Chubb stopped by for an unwelcome visit yesterday evening, one of my guests arrived in time. Anyway, that aside." She continued on, choosing to ignore the horrified look on her gardener's face. "I was hoping you'd look after Bag End while I was gone, myself and Gandalf have left letters for Grandfather, explaining the situation. But I was hoping to keep Theodore and the Sackville-Baggins' away." 

"Be my pleasure Miss." Hamfast smiled, taking the keys from her. "Bell with keep the dust away." 

"Oh, thank you Hamfast. I'm not sure when, or if I'll be back, but I've left instruction for you to be kept on as Bag End's gardener and for you to be paid." Billanna smiled, Kili came running back up the road. 

"Master Boggins! Uncle says for you to hurry!" He called down the lane. 

"I'll see you later Hamfast, thank you again." Billanna gave the hobbit a quick hug before hurrying to catch up with Kili. "You clot-head! You know full well it's  _Baggins,_ and I'm very clearly not male." She scolded when she reached his side. "Did your mother teach you no manners?" 

"Oh, she did Master Boggins, I just chose to ignore them." Kili grinned cheekily Billanna groaned and rolled her eyes as the caught up with the rest of the company in the market. It was by the butchers stall when the company were finally approached by a hobbit. She had the kind of look that the Erebor dwarves saw from other clans, the look that said 'I am better than you.'

"Oh, hello Lobelia." Billanna smiled at the hobbit, who's eyes slid down her body, from the tight braid, to the sturdy leather boots on her foot. Lobelia's wide eyes where fixed on the boots, made of tan leather, lined with soft lambs wool and embroidered with apple blossom, heather and rhododendron. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, you can go home and burn _those!"_ Lobelia glared at the boots. 

"If I did that Lobelia, than I would damage my feet on the mountains." Billanna smiled.

"There are no mountains in the Shire." 

"No, but there are mountains to the South, which is where I'm headed." 

Lobelia scowled. "I thought you'd given up that unrespectable behavior." She sniffed haughtily

"Well, there's a group of dwarves who are trying to reclaim their home, and what kind of hobbit would I be if I didn't even  _try_ to help?"

"You'd be respectable and eligible for marriage. If you return no one will want you."

"Lobelia, there is more to life than marriage and respectability. I'd forgotten, but these dwarrow have reminded me."

"You put a dark mark on the Baggins name, you're exactly like your mother." 

"I'd rather be like my mother than be like you." Billanna snapped, spinning on her heel and paying for the pouches of dried meats she'd ordered. 

"That's exactly the type of mind set that got your mother killed! And made your sister disappear!" Lobelia called after her. Billanna made to turn back but Bifur caught her arm, shaking his head he pulled her toward the fruit stall, speaking hurriedly in khuzdul. 

"Thank you, Bifur." Billanna leaned on her brother's shoulder as they browsed through the large selection of dried fruits. "I have no idea what I would have done to her." She said quietly, Bifur smiled down at her, tenderness and love clear on his face. After purchasing enough dried fruits for the whole company, Bifur and Billanna made their way to the Green Dragon where the company had agreed to meet at ten and after a small mishap with the ponies the company where off down the main road, the Brandywine river glittering in the distance.  

* * *

They were nearly out of Hobbiton when Billanna pulled her pony to a standstill next to a field of flowers. "Miss Baggins." Thorin called to her from the front, as she slid off Buttercup. "What are you doing?"

"Saying Goodbye." She said sadly, drawing three pressed and dried flower crowns from the satchel secured to her saddle. Before any of the dwarrow could say anything, she was over the fence and dropping to her knees in front of one of the patches of flowers. It was then that the company realized that, heading each patch of flowers was a small, rounded stone, each polished and well cared for. 

Billanna bowed her head at her parents grave, placing a pair of circlets on the stone, which bore the words: ' _Belladonna Baggins, beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister. Bungo Baggins, always missed, father, husband, son, brother. May your hearts wonder the path to the eternal garden.'_ Billanna pressed a hand to the warm earth. "I'm going on another adventure but I don't know if I'll return this time. I'm sorry Pa, Grandfather chose someone unsuitable and I have to go. Goodbye, I miss you but hope I don't join you in the Green Mother's halls during my journey." 

 The grave next to her parent's was smaller, showing just how young Bluebell had been. The polished stone read: ' _Buttercup_ _Baggins, daughter, sister. May your heart bring you home, where ever you may be.'_ Billanna spent a few moments longer at her sister's grave, silently saying goodbye. Leaving the three flower crowns on the graves, Billanna turned, not looking back as she vaulted the fence and back onto her pony. 

* * *

 Olive Goldworthy would have recognized those golden curls anywhere, even in the midst of a crowd. "Bill!" She called over the din of the Prancing Pony, the younger hobbit turned, brown eyes searching for the source of her name. Brown met blue and Billanna grinned, Olive hurried over, weaving expertly through patrons of the pub. "Bill. It's been too long." She smiled, pulling the slightly taller hobbit into a hug. 

"Olive! I thought I'd never see you again, no one knew what happened to you. One moment you where the most sought after lass in the Shire, next you where gone." Billanna said with a grin, pulling Olive over to the tables where she'd left the company.

"Oh, you know. I ran away." Olive shrugged as the pair slid into empty seats. "Father wanted me to marry Ted Maggot, so I packed a bag and ran away. Anyway, what are  _you_ doing outside the Shire? You haven't gone past the borders since, well since." Olive trailed off, her bright smiled fading.

"The Fell Winter." Billanna finished for her, smiling sadly. "I know, but Pa, he joined mother a few months ago and Grandfather chose Theodore for me to marry, and then Gandalf showed up at my door, and hear I am." 

"Theodore? Theodore Chubb? The boy who used to leave 'secret' messages for you. everywhere?" 

"The very same. Anyway, what have you been up to? It's been years, your life must be more interesting than mine." 

"Well, I got married, to a man. And we have three beautiful children." Olive's face lit up as she spoke of her family, Billanna smiled, glad to see her childhood friend so happy. "Would you like to come meet them? I get off work at seven." 

"Oh, I'd love to Olive." 

"Excellent, I'll come find you." Olive grinned, getting to her feet as the bartender called her back to work. "I've gotta go, I'm dreading to think what the kitchen looks like, I've been gone so long." With a final wave and smile, Olive disappeared between the patrons. 

 

A few hours later, Olive appeared at the door to the room Billanna was shearing with Ori. "Do you want to come Ori?" Billanna asked as she fastened her cloak. 

"Alright, if your friend doesn't mind." Ori said, gaze shifting to the red haired hobbit in the doorway. 

"Oh, I don't mind Mistress Dwarf. My children love meeting new people." The hobbit beamed, Ori smiled back, grabbing her cloak and sketchbook. "I'm Olive by the way."

"Ori, at your service Ma'am." Ori bowed to the hobbit and the trio set off back down the stairs. Balin and Gloin joined them as the moved through the pub, claiming that they wanted to also meet the children, but Billanna caught the meaningful glances Dori and Nori sent to the two Dwarrowmen as they passed them battering for supplies.

Olive didn't live far from the Prancing Pony, she lead them through the backdoor of a stonesmith's shop and up the stairs. There was an older human woman playing with the children when they enters, her greying hair coiled on her head. "Olive dear, you're back." She smiled at their entering. "And I see you've brought guests, I'll put the kettle on." 

"Thank you mother." Olive smiled as the woman moved, first to the fireplace, than to the sink and back to the fire. "This is my friend, Bill Baggins and her friends and traveling companions Ori, Gloin and Balin." The dwarrow bowed to the woman, who smiled at them.

"Welcome. Annie's settling down for the night, so please try to keep the noise down." 

"We'll try Ma'am." Billanna smiled as Olive grabbed her by the hand and pulled her over to the fireplace, when two children where sitting. 

The eldest, a girl of eight her mother's red curls and pointed ears, was the same height as Gloin, who Olive introduced as Lucinda. Lucinda's brother, Rowland, was six, with black curls, rounded ears and the same deep tan complexion as his sister, he stood at Billanna's shoulder, gap toothed and shining eyes. Annie, was only a year old, with straight black hair and inquisitive eyes. She gurgled sleepily when her mother scooped her from her crib. The dwarrow stared at the tiny girl, they'd never seen a child so small. But Olive and Billanna quickly assured them it was normal. Annie feel asleep quickly and Olive hurried to put her to bed, she returned just as the tea was being handed around. "Have any of them, changed?" Billanna asked Olive quietly as the three dwarrow sat themselves with the other children, sipping their tea polity. 

"Lucy has, and Rowland, but Annie hasn't. Mother doesn't know, I taught them how to keep their forms under control." 

"And your husband? Does he know?" 

"I had to tell him, Lucy changed right in front of him when she was four months old. Ran around our room with a tiny tabby kitten in his arms for nearly an hour before I could get him to calm down." Olive smiled fondly at the memory. "What about you? what did your given-form turn out to be?" Olive asked, Billanna fidgeted, she was saved from answering by the door opening. "Larry." Olive turned, and ran to her husband. The tall man had short black hair, bright eyes and no shirt. Billanna could feel the blood rising in her face. Sweat glittered in the candlelight on his dark muscles.

"Billanna, are you alright?" Ori appeared at her shoulder, Billanna jerked out of her trance. 

"Yes. I'm fine, thank you." Billanna smiled, her voice was slightly higher than normal, Olive sent her a bemused look and threw her husband a shirt. The muscles making up his chest and arms rippled as he pulled the shirt over his head. Billanna's face heated up again. "I think." She said in a quiet voice to Ori. "I think I may need to sit down." Ori grinned and gently guided her over to one of smaller armchairs by the fire. 

"Here, drink this lass." Balin held out a still steaming mug of tea. Billanna gave him a weak smile and took the mug, blowing on it before taking a gulp. They stayed until Billanna finished her tea and the children where sent off to bed. Olive led them all back to the Prancing Pony, where she quickly ordered Billanna a whole pint.

Billanna jumped as the large tankard was set down in front of her. "Drink, all of it." Olive ordered, taking the seat opposite her. Billanna reached for the ale, oblivious to the questioning Ori, Balin and Gloin where being subjected to. She drank half of it quickly, her senses slowly returning. 

 _"Olive_." She said in a hushed tone.

 _"Bill."_ Olive replied, a mocking edge to her voice. 

"Hobbits aren't." Billanna took another gulp of her drink. "Hobbit men aren't shaped like  _that!"_  

"Shaped like what?" Ori asked from her elbow, a grin on her face. 

"Shaped like Olive's husband. All  _formed_ and, and." 

"And?" Olive prompted her, Billanna's blush grew. 

"And  _muscled!"_ Billanna squeaked, burying her burning face in her drink, giggling. Ori and Olive joined her giggling. When the giggles subsided, Olive called a server over, ordering a round of celebratory drinks for the table of dwarrow. 

"What's this for lassie?" Bombur asked Olive when the drinks arrived. 

"Well, today our little Billanna has discovered the beauty of the male muscles. Male hobbits in the Shire all have a more rounded shapes, more bulge than muscle. Any that don't, tend to live of the borders or here in Bree, and poor Billanna is related to most of them. I never saw the appeal of male Shire hobbits, so I left and got married to a well formed Stonemason." Olive explained to the table with a beaming smile before turning to Billanna, a thoughtful look on her face. "Now that I think about it, he has a younger brother who's a blacksmith, if you're interested." 

The Ur family spluttered into their drinks and Billanna vigorously shook her head. "No, thank you Olive, but no. I'm sure that you're marriage is wonderful and loving, but the Big Folk are far to tall for me." She said. 

"How about a nice, perfectly sized dwarf?" Olive said innocently, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Billanna, who at that moment had taken a gulp of ale, coughed, her throat burning. "I mean," Olive continued, "Most dwarves are blacksmiths or stonesmiths  _and_ they're not as tall as men or elves." 

"Fili's a stonesmith." Kili piped up from the other end of the table, Fili glowered at his brother and waked him round the back of the head, red in the face. Olive wiggled her eyebrows at Billanna. "There you go, not to tall  _and-"_

 _"_ And tha's enough o' this talk." Bofur interjected, finishing his drink. "Bill, we'll be up early in the mornin' to get a goo' day' walk in, ye best go to bed." Billanna nodded, finishing up her own drink. 

"It was lovely to see you again Olive, and to meet your family." Billanna gave her old friend a hug and bid goodnight to the company and her brothers before returning to her room for a bath and a warm bed. 

* * *

 

Fili wanted to murder his little brother. Only, he'd promised their mother that he would protect Kili. "Why would you _say_ that?"  He hissed as they went up to bed. "Why in Durin's name would you say something like that?" 

"Fee," Kili laughed. "I'm not blind." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"If you don't know, then I'm not gonna tell you." Kili grinned. Yep, Fili was defiantly going to murder his brother before the journey's end, if the something else didn't get him first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apple Blossom- Good fortune  
> Heather- Gook Luck  
> Rhododendron- danger/ I am dangerous


	4. An Argument over Azog

Billanna sat up grumpily, wishing she'd had the insight to bring another blanket to sleep on rather than under. The outcrop they'd chosen it rest on for the night was mostly rock, making it uncomfortable and cold to sleep on. At her side, Gloin snored, each loud breath out expelling moths from his nose. Rolling her eyes, Billanna stood up, casting a glance to where Fili and Kili sat keeping watch as she made her way over to the ponies, drawing an apple from her pocket, Buttercup looked up, hope glimmering in her large eyes. Billanna ran a hand down Buttercup's soft muzzle, holding out the apple with the other. The crunch of the pony's teeth in the apple was loud in the clear night, glancing back at her companions Billanna shushed the animal, luckily dwarves were heavy sleeper so only Fili and Kili noticed. The brothers looked up amused as she picked her way through the dwarves back to her bed roll.

A howl echoed through the dark. Billanna froze. 

_'Billy! Run! I'm right behind you Billy! Run!"_

"Was that a wolf?" Billanna asked, hurrying over to the boys, hoping they would confirm that the noise was, in face, wolves. Wolves would be better, easier. But, Kili shook his head, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. 

"Orcs." Kili said around his pipe. 

_'Bill. Bill, where's your Mama?'_

The would seemed to freeze for a moment. "O,orcs?" Billanna stammered glancing back at her bedroll, her swords were laid neatly next to her boots. 

"Throat-cutters. There’ll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them.” Fili said, sharing a glance with his brother, neither dwarrow seeing the paleness of Billanna's face.

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone’s asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood.” Kili added, struggling not to laugh.

_'A yellow ribbon spotted with blood. A bottle of medicine. A patch of red snow.'_

The brothers burst out laughing as Billanna dove for her weapons. She was stuffing her feet frantically into her boots as Thorin stood, glaring at his nephews. “You think that’s funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?” The King growled. Fili and Kili looked down, ashamed of their words. Fili glanced at Billanna who was tying her boots and checking her swords where sharp, there was something frantic in her eyes. Why hadn't he seen it? Heard the fear in her voice? 

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili muttered, trying to justify their actions. 

"No, you didn’t. You know nothing of the world.” Thorin snarled at his sister-sons before stalking off through his awakening company to glare off into the forest bellow, as if he could make the Wargs die with the power of his glare alone. 

 “Don’t mind him, laddie." Balin's voice made the three youngsters jump. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." Slowly, the other members of the company sat up, Ori ever pulled out her large leather bound book, pen poised to scribble down the King's story. "After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. “Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundobad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began," Balin paused eyes glassy as if he was back in time, standing in the carnage of Moria. "by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin’s father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc."

Billanna's eyes widened at the mention of a pale Orc. 

_'A white warg. An equally pale rider. The winter sun glinting off the mace, where the creature's hand should have been. "Billy run!"_

“He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent, wielding nothing by an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, nor song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King.” 

The story ended, every dwarf gazing a Throin in awe, even Ori had stopped scribbling. Thorin turned, sadness in his eyes. "The pale orc?" Ori asked, breaking the worshipful silence. "What happened to him?" 

“He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago.” Thorin replied gazing into the fire, his hands clasped behind his back.

"He's not dead." A small voice spoke up. The dwarrow's gazes snapped to their bugler, Thorin glared at the small figure wrapped around herself and staring fixated into the fire.

"What?" Thorin snarled.

"he's not dead," The statement came louder the second time. "The pale orc, he lives."

"Impossible." Thorin denied. "His injuries alone would have killed him, never mind the infections that would have set in. I as good as killed him at Azanulbizar!"

"AS GOOD AS DEAD IT'S DEAD!" Billanna roared, leaping to her feet, her mournful expression turned furious. "You should have stabbed him! Should have cut out his heart and crushed it under your boots! Should have made sure he was dead! You gave him a chance to live and sentenced so many people to death!" 

"I did  _nothing!_ I killed him! I killed him after he bedhead my Grandfather! Not that Halfling would-"

"HE KILLED MY MOTHER!" Billanna bellowed, her angry voice bouncing off the rock. The dwarrow, her brother, even Gandalf stared. "I watched that monster tear my mother limb from limb, watched his foul beast devour the pieces." The hobbit's face was white, her grip tight on the hilt of her Elvin blade, her free hand was clenched so hard that tiny droplets of blood leaked between her fingers. "I saw his servents take children captive and murder their parents. And there was _nothing I could do._ So don't you dare tell me that I know nothing of the world Thorin Okenshield, I know about it all to well." There was absolute silence, it seemed that even the world had stopped at Billanna's declaration. 

The moments ticked by. Then Oin stepped forward. "Let me see that hand lass." Billanna glanced down at her hands and unfurled her fingers. Deep, crescent shaped tears had been dug into her palms, her nails looked to be retreating in shame of what they'd done. Oin led the hobbit over to the fire, reaching for his pack that contained his medical kit. The other members of the company turned to Gandalf who was looking at their burglar in amazement. 

"I never knew." He said, almost to himself. 

"Tharkûn, explain." Thorin demanded. Gandalf sighed, for the first time in all the years that the-king-under-the-mountain had know the wizard, he looked _old_. 

"I don't know the whole story. The wizard began. "But in the Shire, winter doesn't really come, and when it does, it's a few weeks of frost and a little snow. But fifteen years ago, winter came and didn't want to leave. The winter came so fast and so heard that no one was properly prepared. The hobbits might have been alright when spring came, a little cold and hungry, but it wasn't just snow that came. The Brandywine River froze; one of the main protections of the Shire; Orcs, Goblins and Wargs invaded. Children where stolen from their beds and their parents arms. Adults where slaughtered, eaten in front of their children. I only know what the rangers knew, and what Bungo told me. But Belladonna- Billanna's mother- was cut down as she told you; all that was left was her little blade; one Elvin one that Billanna now carries, Bungo-Billanna's father- fell ill; a combination of heartbreak, hypothermia and hunger. He got so ill that Buttercup- her beloved little sister- snuck out one night, all that was found in the morning was a ribbon and a bottle of medicine. I never knew Billanna had seen her mother's death, or that Azog was the one to kill Belladonna." He added quietly, he'd never asked, never  _thought_ to ask, Billanna hadn't even told her _father_ the whole story of Belladonna's death. She'd carried the burden of witnessing her mother's murder since she was 22 and he, her mother's oldest friend, had never see it, never seen the heaviness behind her eyes. For that, he was sorry.

 


	5. The beginning of new feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the advice of another author, I'm going to be using welsh/ Gaelic for the hobbit language as in Tolkien's universe, hobbits don't actually have a language. Also, if anyone one knows of a good website for Khazadul words please tell me.

It had been three days since the  _incident_ and Billanna hadn't said a word. Not to Ori, not to Gandalf, not even to her brothers and by then, even Thorin was worried about the hobbit. On the fourth day, the whole company; bar Nori and Billanna who where keeping watch; where woken abruptly.

"Cnych!" Each groggy dwarf's vision was covered by thick heavy cloaks just as the rain storm began. Billanna slumped against a tree, her own waterproofed cloak secure around her shoulders, having just run around camp searching through packs for the companies waterproofs, with Nori's help. 

"Billanna Bluebell Baggins, I never want to hear such profanities from you mouth again." Gandalf scolded, sounding very Grandfatherly. Billanna huffed and rolled her eyes. 

"You alrigh' Bill?" Bofur asked a few moments later as the company set off in the pouring rain. Billanna shrugged.

"Guess so. Just, had a lot of thinking to do is all." 

"Why didn' ya tell us?" The miner said, looking forlorn.

"I was going to, least, I think I was. I didn't think Papa need to know, know what had happened to Mama, only that she was dead. I didn't want him to worry that I was alright and grieve for Mama at the same time, and I didn't want him to think of Mama being killed in the way she was." 

"Billanna, can I ask," Ori drew her pony to a faster gait to walk alongside her friend. "What happened, during the winter?"  Billanna looked down at her still bandaged hands clenched around Buttercup's reigns. "It's alright if you don't want to." Ori said quickly.

"If it's okay with you Ori, I think I'll tell you later. Where we're off the road and somewhere warm and dry and safe."  Billanna said quietly, almost apologetic. Ori smiled and Billanna brightened. 

Up ahead Dori was complaining to Gandalf about the rain, asking if anything could be done. "It is  _raining_ mater Dori, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard.” The wizard replied, sounding slightly offended.

"Are there any?" Billanna called out curiously. 

"What?"

"Other wizards?" 

“There are five of us." Gandalf said, happy that someone was finally curious about his order. "The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue wizards; you know, I’ve quite forgotten their names...”

"And the fifth?" Ori asked, filling the information away to wright down later.

“Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown.” Gandalf smiled gently at the name of his old friend, whom he hadn't seen in many years. 

"Is he a great wizard, or is he more like you?" Billanna asked, not realizing that offence could be taken from her question. There was a smattering of chuckles from behind her as Gandalf answered hotly. 

"I think he’s a very great wizard, in his own way. He’s a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world.”

* * *

 It continued to rain for nearly a week, and no one but Billanna was particularly happy about it. Rain meant that things grew and things were born anew and as a hobbit, Billanna was in tune to all of it, she was connected.

Thorin scowled deeply at the smallest member of his company when they stopped for the night a few evenings later. She, despite the rain, was perfectly happy, humming a cheerful tune as she went about caring for her pony. "What does she have to be so cheerful about?" He grumbled to Balin and Dwalin.

"She's a hobbit." Ori's voice pipped up behind the three dwarrowmen, they turned to look at the dam. "As a hobbit she's in tune with nature and the rain makes things grow. She can feel how the rain helps the earth and that things are growing well." Ori smiled brightly upwards. "All you have to do is ask, and she'll tell you quite a lot." She shrugged happily. "Hobbit lore and history is very interesting." Then she hurried off, her brothers where calling for her.

"There you go laddie," Balin said to the king. "there's you answer." Thorin still glared though, the small woman still looked weak, he still didn't think she could protect herself and the new information didn't help his opinion. 

Dwalin however, wasn't glaring at Billanna. His dark eyes where fixed on Ori, she seemed to shine in the rain, her eyes glittering with knowledge and her love of learning as she talked to her brothers. His heart skipped a bean then began pounding in his ears. Her braids swung as she tuned to talk to Billanna, her face lit up as she laughed. The warrior was jolted out of his daze by a hand resting on his shoulder. Balin. "Brother, you're staring." Balin said, a smile in his voice. Dwalin scowled and shrugged his elder brother's hand off his shoulder, stalking over to Bofur to collect his supper.

* * *

On the sixth morning, it stopped raining as suddenly as it started days earlier. A cheer arose from the dwarrow. Cloaks were shed and throw over the backs of ponies to dry. For the first time in days, Bofur's pipe was lit and the dwarf grinned as he puffed. Even the ponies seemed to be happier, their steps elongating and bouncing a little more. 

When the company stopped for lunch, wet belonging where taken out of bags and set in the sun to dry and when Billanna and Bifur came back from collecting mushrooms, they both had circlets of freshly bloomed flowers on their heads. Soon, most of the company had a circlet of flowers in their hair, each made by Billanna's skilled hands."I didn't realize you had a craft Miss Baggins, besides cooking." Fili said with admiration, inspecting his perfect crown of flowers.

"Flower weaving isn't a craft Master Fili," Billanna laughed, her deft fingers bending stems together. "Even faunts can make flower crowns. Neither is cooking. not for us. All hobbits cook, my cooking is nothing special, believe me." She handed to finished circle to Kili who happily placed it on his head. Fili shook his head.

"If I gave this to any of the guild masters back in the Blue Mountains, they would say the same thing. That this," The blond prince held up the circle of flowers. "is exquisite. I mean you can't find the join, all the stems are perfectly woven together and hidden, it doesn't poke the wearer in the head and," Fili put the crown on his hair. "I look great in it." Billanna raised an amused eyebrow and the prince grinned, the pair burst out laughing. Fili's laughter faded slightly as he gazed at Billanna. A few of her golden curls had wriggled free of her braids and now fell in front of her face as she doubled over. Fili moved before his brain could tell him no, her curls were soft between his fingers as he brushed them behind her ear, careful of the points. (he may have eaves dropped on Billanna and Ori's conversation about hobbits) Billanna's smiled was almost blinding when she looked up at him, her cheeks a soft shade of morning pink. Fili returned the soft; almost intimate; smile dropping his gaze from her's to stop him from crossing anymore boundaries.

Bombur frowned at the crown prince from the other side of camp, trying to work out his intentions. "Leave 'em be Bombur," Bufor said, rolling his now dry bed roll up and cramming it into his bag. "'s jus' a bit o' 'armless chat." Bombur looked dubious, she'd seen the glances the prince had given his little sister, and seen the once's she'd given back but he decided  _not_ to go over there and stop Billanna from laughing, she needed more laughter in her life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning on adding the trolls to this chapter, but I wanted to get it out today and I probably would have made it very long. So you'll just have to wait till next week. Comment and Kudo please. 
> 
> welsh/ hobbit language:  
> cnych-fuck

**Author's Note:**

> If you spot anything wrong with my work feel free to tell me, as nicely as possible please.


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